Sam Hopes
Sam Hopes is a level 3 fitness trainer, level 2 reiki practitioner, and senior fitness writer at Tom's Guide. She is also currently undertaking her Yoga For Athletes training course. Having worked with brands like F45 and Virgin, Sam now primarily teaches outdoor bootcamps, calisthenics and kettlebells. In her spare time, she enjoys CrossFit, yoga and running and is currently training for her next Hyrox in London. She can be found testing the latest fitness technology and has a keen interest in mobility, stretching and writing on hot topics like nutrition, sleep and recovery.
Latest articles by Sam Hopes
![a photo of a woman with defined abs](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/zmVFEHjgapqYr3QkJHtvzM-320-80.jpg)
Forget crunches — 3 reasons I ditched ab workouts for compound exercises
By Sam Hopes last updated
Your core plays a vital role in your training and everyday activity, but multi-muscle exercises are a more efficient way to strengthen this essential group of muscles.
![Man lifting a barbell with plates on using both hands during outdoor strength training session in yard](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/sX7C8mukCQWXzpKmqRm6Hg-320-80.jpg)
Relative strength vs absolute strength: Which is better?
By Sam Hopes published
Relative strength is a person's strength compared to their body size. Absolute strength is the maximum amount of force exerted regardless of size. Here are the benefits of both.
![Woman standing next to a window lifting two dumbbells in front of her](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/94NUgMgqQJkitogsmWFVJC-320-80.jpg)
Forget push-ups — 5 dumbbell exercises to sculpt arm muscles like Miley Cyrus
By Sam Hopes last updated
5 exercises to sculpt and shape arm muscles like Miley Cyrus using a set of dumbbells, according to a personal trainer.
![Woman performing quad and hip flexor stretch with left leg](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/sLHkPL7uvb2yBZUQ8EDedC-320-80.jpg)
I teach stretching routines for a living — 3 exercises that strengthen your hips and open your hamstrings
By Sam Hopes last updated
Three bodyweight exercises that stretch and strengthen your hip flexors and hamstrings, according to a personal trainer.
![Man in squat position holding two dumbbells between legs](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/qoEbcCcWaoRUFaRobfVkHQ-320-80.jpg)
Forget burpees — this 3-move CrossFit workout strengthens your entire body using dumbbells
By Sam Hopes last updated
The CrossFit workout can be done in just 21 minutes using three full-body exercises. Here's how to do it.
![Man performing push-ups during outdoor workout](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/wEquWjkvRuQo3uFcbhQPdf-320-80.jpg)
I tried 60 hand-release push-ups every day for one week — here are 3 things I learned
By Sam Hopes last updated
What are hand-release push-ups, how do you do them and what happens if one writer does them every day for one week during a fitness challenge?
![Man with back to camera performing single-arm dumbbell lateral raise left arm](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/VqTtdRHycCMaMRSEfzQAKS-320-80.jpg)
You just need this 4-move dumbbell workout and 20 minutes to chisel your shoulder muscles
By Sam Hopes last updated
The four-move dumbbell workout strengthens and builds your shoulders in under 30 minutes, and it's beginner-friendly. Here's how.
![Man performing an Australian pull-up using gym rings during a back workout](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/evc3RVM4Agwp6ihADNzZvJ-320-80.jpg)
Australian pull-ups for beginners: How to do them, and the benefits for building your back and biceps
By Sam Hopes last updated
Learn how to do Australian pull-ups, the benefits, common mistakes, and variations to try as a beginner.
![Man performing a kettlebell thruster with two kettlebells in squat position](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/qixfBjXGJPqYNHdVuMYDiR-320-80.jpg)
I did 50 kettlebell thrusters every day for one week — and here are my results
By Sam Hopes last updated
What is the kettlebell thruster, how do you do it, and what happened when a fitness writer did the exercise every day for one week?
![Man performing barbell deadlift in the gym during workout in set-up position](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/vwqiPgYR5wRM94iHiQxAsE-320-80.jpg)
Deadlift beginners: 5 things I wish I had known before I started deadlifting
By Sam Hopes last updated
A personal trainer shares five ways to improve your deadlift technique whether you're a deadlift beginner or just refining your skill set.
![Man performing dumbbell thrusters outdoors on grass with dumbbells on shoulders](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/Jx2GveoXMSxqNwjUgXLSwE-320-80.jpg)
I'm a personal trainer — this is my favorite dumbbell exercise for building full-body strength
By Sam Hopes last updated
The dumbbell thruster is my favorite full-body exercise for building strength and muscle. Here's how to do it, the benefits and variations to try.
![Two men squatting with a kettlebell using goblet hold during workout](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/hBDLxUdBpXEVRQDMfg8pii-320-80.jpg)
Forget push-ups — you just need 1 kettlebell and 15 minutes to build your chest, shoulders and legs
By Sam Hopes last updated
You just need one kettlebell and this 3-move workout to build full-body strength and muscle, and it only takes 15 minutes.
![Young athletic man doing push-ups physical workout in gym](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/UoBLxXkCVunbje6LAG8CQG-320-80.jpg)
Forget Russian twists — I did 50 Russian push-ups every day for one week, here’s what happened
By Sam Hopes last updated
What are Russian push-ups, how do you do them and what happens if you do 50 reps each day for seven days?
![Man performing a barbell overhead press with the bar extended over his head in the gym](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/pRHDeMZvQFksJMbLCfwSdJ-320-80.jpg)
What are the 'big 5' compound lifts in weight training?
By Sam Hopes published
The 'big five' compound exercises in weightlifting are the bench press, deadlift, shoulder press, pull-up and squat. Here's how to do them, the benefits, and how to program them.
![Man doing kettlebell ab workout](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/mZo9EhMA9MpLYHVofvgrTm-320-80.jpg)
Forget sit-ups — you only need 1 kettlebell and 3 seated ab exercises to sculpt your core
By Sam Hopes last updated
These three seated ab exercises strengthen your core muscles and hips using one kettlebell and a 15-minute workout. Here's how to do them, according to a trainer.
![a photo of a woman doing the best ab workout at home](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/fPJBiRqHqctHNqyd7HyKcH-320-80.jpg)
The best ab workouts — free ab workouts you can do from anywhere
By Jane McGuire last updated
The best ab workouts — from free ab workouts to 10-minute ab workouts, here's the best ab workouts to try.
![A woman using a hack squat machine next to a photo of a woman Woman performing a hex bar deadlift mid lift in a gym](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/UTxX47YLEj3QdchBd77Tq5-320-80.jpg)
Hack squats vs trap bar deadlifts: which is better at building quad strength?
By Sam Hopes last updated
What are hack squats and trap bar deadlifts, how do you do them, and what are the benefits? A personal trainer explains which is better for building quad strength and muscle.
![Cropped shot of a fitness woman holding a dumbbell and performing a bicep curl](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/ykQatsUpMTq37bGXQwhPPe-320-80.jpg)
Reverse curls: how to do them, and the benefits for bulking your biceps
By Sam Hopes last updated
Learn how to do reverse curls, along with the benefits, common mistakes, and four variations we recommend for building your biceps muscles.
![Oura Ring on a display mount](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/LPXb8oCBGdNXasQREkL3Qc-320-80.jpg)
Oura just released new feature to help you manage stress — what you need to know
By Sam Hopes last updated
Oura has just released its latest Resilience stress feature to join Daytime Stress and Reflections. Here's what we know so far.
![Glutes workout: Woman performing a glute kickback exercise on her mat outdoors on grass](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/NEpGzB5VvSU589mzPFcosC-320-80.jpg)
4 strength exercises that sculpt your glutes and build a strong core without ab exercises
By Sam Hopes last updated
Four glute exercises that build strength in your buttocks and add definition without hip thrusts or glute bridges, according to a personal trainer.
![Man outside on balcony squatting with a kettlebell in left hand](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/H57AYR4xHFtxLRheUqp3aZ-320-80.jpg)
Forget burpees — build muscle all over with one kettlebell and these four moves
By Sam Hopes last updated
Strengthen your core, build full-body muscle, and raise your heart rate in less than 30 minutes.
![a photo of a man doing a push up](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/9ghCpUY6JaLtStkZkeH73T-320-80.jpg)
I just did this 200-rep push-up challenge — here’s what happened to my body
By Sam Hopes last updated
Our in-house personal trainer tried this 200-rep push-up challenge. Here's what happened and how to do it yourself.
![Woman performing a push-up bodyweight workout outdoors on a deck by the ocean](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/qbJcEXjcHVjBVcYnzcr3ed-320-80.jpg)
Forget planks — I did 100 walking push-ups every day for one week, and here are my results
By Sam Hopes last updated
What are walking push-ups, how do you do them and what happens if you do 100 reps every day for one week?